Crasilogia simplex

Crasilogia simplex (Prout)

(Figs 16, 17, 28, 29, 40, 41)

Polyclysta simplex Prout, 1940: 301.

Crasilogia simplex (Prout): Scoble, 1999: 192 (checklist); Holloway, 1984: 162 (checklist).

Crasilogia dispar ab. simplex Warren, 1906: 99 (unavailable infraspecific name).

Type material. Lectotype male, British New Guinea [Papua New Guinea], Angabunga River, affl. of St. Joseph River, 6000 ft. [1828.8 m] upwards, November [19]04– Februar [19]05. (A.S. Meek), NHMUK012823193; this specimen is here designated lectotype so as to fix and stabilise the current concept of the name (NHM). Note. The larger in size male from the syntype series discussed by Warren (1906) and Prout (1940) is not conspecific with the newly designated lectotype. The male belongs to a new species which is described below.

Other material examined. British New Guinea [Papua New Guinea], one female, same data as lectotype, NHMUK012823242 (NHM). Note. The female differs from the rest of simplex-parasimplex group by the more narrow subbasal band in the forewings above and by the slightly lighter colour of the hind wings and is most probably conspecific with the male of C. simplex.

Diagnosis (Figs 16, 17, 28, 29). Forewings above with pattern similar to C. dispar, C. flavipennis, and C. fulvitincta, but smaller, dark brown with some ochreous scales, with subbasal band similar to C. dispar and C. flavipennis but with dull orange scales, with a small inwardly directed subbasal notch, with median band at the costal margin slightly narrower than in C. dispar and C. flavipennis, edged with thin whitish and dull orange wavy lines, with a shallow rounded medial projection outwards and a small inwardly directed postmedial streak near the costal margin, with a thin wavy whitish subterminal line with small medial and subapical projecting teeth. Hind wings in males small, with apex slightly angled, pale brownish, with an indistinct band of light brown scales at the termen, with an area of fine hairs medially and at the hind margin, without a blotch of androconial scales near tornus.

Male genitalia (Figs 40, 41). Uncus needle shaped, shorter than in C. parasimplex, distally narrowly rounded, with somewhat triangular basal outgrowths; tegumen rather short; valva small, somewhat kidney-shaped, with a rather thin ring of weak sclerotisation at base of costa, slightly broadening towards the costal margin, protruded outwards, with a basal extension; labides curved, rather short, not protruded distally; vinculum with a horn-shaped, not broadly-based dorsal process and a medium sized anterior hook; saccus shallow, rounded; aedeagus relatively small, with a medium sized patch of medium sized cornuti.

Female genitalia of the species-group C. simplex (Fig. 51). Antrum relatively small, weakly sclerotised, with a rounded base. Ductus bursae rather short, broader than in C. flavipennis, and C. fulvitincta, with lateral areas heavier sclerotized. Corpus bursae elongate, slightly or moderately broadening proximally, membranous, with inconspicuous longitudinal folds mainly in the distal half. Ductus seminalis inserted on corpus bursae on a very small protuberance near entrance of ductus bursae. Signum absent. Note. The female shown on Fig. 51 most probably belong to C. simplex s.str. Variation has been observed in the shape of corpus bursae of several Papuan specimens. Molecular studies can help matching conspecific males and female in the species-group C. simplex-parasimplex.

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.